DS is a current student at a university and our financial aid forms deadline is not until May 1. Over the weekend, I tried to use the DRT to complete FAFSA, and was unable to, even though it has been at least 3 weeks since taxes were e-filed and refund received. I tried all the variations of address, which parent requested it, etc. but no success.
I then tried to request a downloadable tax transcript, online from the IRS website. Request was denied, and we were told to contact the “IRS Identity Protection Specialization Unit” by phone.
This morning (after 40 minutes on hold starting at 7:00 a.m.), I talked to an agent. Apparently, our account has been flagged for possible identity theft issues because in 2012 and 2013, multiple tax returns were filed in our names. Since we filed fairly early and the other attempts were later, the fraudulent returns were all rejected and we were never notified. But, it was enough to flag the account now.
She told us:
- We will not be able to use the FAFSA DRT. (ETA: We were able to use DRT last year.)
- We can’t request a tax transcript using the online, downloadable process.
- She will mail us a tax transcript, and we should receive it in 1- 2 weeks. The format will apparently be a bit different from the one you get via the online request, but the school’s financial aid office confirmed that they will accept it.
I’m mostly posting as info for families who may have similar problems, but do have a couple of questions for others who have experienced this.
If you have requested a transcript through this process, did it really come in 1-2 weeks? The school meets 100% need for all students, and will consider the deadline met as long as the forms are filed by May 1, so I’m not worried. I just want it finished.
When I could not get the downloadable transcript, I did submit the online request for a transcript to be mailed to us, and I also made an automated telephone request for a transcript to be mailed. Those seemed to work at the time, but I have read on other forums that we might receive a letter telling us the request cannot be honored by those methods. Anyone experienced with this?
The agent suggested we file Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, to get a code from the IRS that will provide another layer of identification for our return in future years. Does this work? Does it create more problems?
This is probably our last FAFSA year, but the inability to use the FAFSA DRT due to these issues sounds like it will be an increasing problem in the future.